IPPN

Last Updated: Monday, 21 December 2009 17:30

Last Friday, an eight year old girl arrived in her County Dublin School with a €200 voucher for her teacher, for an upmarket city centre department store.  This practise of children showering their teachers with expensive Christmas gifts will reach epidemic proportions over the next few days. The phenomenon became widespread during the Celtic Tiger era and IPPN members throughout the length and breadth of the country report that it is showing little sign of waning.

In many instances, accepting these gifts causes acute embarrassment to individual teachers as they would be very conscious of those parents and children who would not be in a position, due to family circumstances, to engage in such largesse.
 
Despite the downturn, the season of goodwill is again in full flow and children are arriving at schools laden with festive surprises for their teachers.
 
While it is indeed gratifying for a teacher to have his or her work recognised, School Principals are encouraging pupils and parents to show their appreciation for the excellent work being done by their school and teachers in a different way this year.
 
Most teachers would be more than happy to receive a home made card or gift from a pupil that reflects some aspect of class work engaged in during the school year. This would be reflective of the very stimulating revised curriculum now in place in all schools, particularly the Visual Arts.
 
Pat Goff, President of IPPN stated 'the custom of children lavishing expensive gifts on their teachers places unnecessary pressure on families struggling with unemployment, falling incomes and an uncertain economic outlook'
 
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